


Kurt Hummel’s Halloween Adventure

by pixiealtaira



Series: Kurtoberfest 2016 [6]
Category: Glee
Genre: M/M, mention of Kurt/Blaine
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-17
Updated: 2020-04-17
Packaged: 2021-03-02 02:27:02
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,775
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23697712
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pixiealtaira/pseuds/pixiealtaira
Summary: Kurtoberfest prompt 7: trick-or-treatingKurt ended up with a bit extra responsibility.
Series: Kurtoberfest 2016 [6]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1694098
Comments: 1
Kudos: 31





	Kurt Hummel’s Halloween Adventure

Kurt Hummel looked at the baby that was shoved into his arms and then back to Finn. Beth was poorly wrapped in a blanket and asleep.

“Excuse me?” he asked.

“You have to take Beth Trick-or-Treating.”

“Why?”

“I told you…we decided you were the best option.”

“How come you have Beth, anyway?”

“Shelby made plans. Quinn was going to watch her, but her and Puck got into a huge fight and Quinn said some really weird things and Shelby heard and so she told Quinn no. Puck is already busy with a whole ton of kids because he is in charge of Sara and her gang tonight…so it’s got to be you.” Finn said.

“That doesn’t explain how you have her.”

Finn just looked at Kurt like he had two heads. Kurt tilted his head.

“Oh, yeah. So, Shelby got invited to this Halloween Party, for like single teachers or something. So Rachel offered up her services, because Shelby’s her mom and all that. Except Rachel didn’t realize that Shelby needed her to watch Beth tonight and tonight is the Berry’s annual Halloween extravaganza and the baby simply can’t be there while horror movies play.”

“And Rachel can’t watch her …oh, I don’t know…in her room?” Kurt asked.

“No. Rachel has to be there to perform. She is the entertainment between movies and during intermissions.” Finn said.

“Did her dads tell her that?”

“Kurt, you can’t tell her dads. They will tell her to watch the baby and missing this will devastate her. She’s been looking forward to it since last year. She’ll be crushed and I won’t get anything at all!”

“You won’t make your girlfriend watch the baby she said she’d tend because she’ll be sad and you won’t get any?” Kurt asked.

“It’s hard enough to get her to make out with me as it is, Kurt. She just started letting me touch her breasts again!” Finn shouted.

“Oh God. Stop! You’re her boyfriend. Since she refuses to do her job, you do it.” Kurt said.

“I can’t watch the baby. I have to go help Rachel. I have to like hold her music and shit.”

“How about your mother?” Kurt asked.

“Mom went out with your dad to see that movie marathon thing at the theater that plays the old stuff. Look, no one invited you anywhere so you get the baby. You have no plans tonight and everyone knows Blaine went to the Warbler party and you weren’t invited. So much for once a warbler, heh.”

Kurt glared at Finn.

“Look, you get to watch the baby. It’s not Rachel or my fault you weren’t invited.”

“It is Rachel’s fault she has Beth under her care.”

“No it isn’t, she didn’t think Shelby meant Halloween night when she said she was going to go out for Halloween. It was a misunderstanding.”

“I’m going out for Halloween to a Halloween party doesn’t sound like on Halloween to Rachel? Or you? Fine, when will Shelby be back and where does she want me to drop her off?” Kurt said sighing.

“Oh No! Shelby can’t know YOU have the baby. Rachel is watching her. You just take her trick-or-treating and make her go to sleep and then bring her to Rachel’s house and leave her in the garage. We were going to have you put her on the porch, but people going in and out of Rachel’s house for the party might see her. Her car seat will be the garage for you to put her in. And then when Shelby calls or at 11pm, Rachel will go get her from the garage and take her to Shelby.”

“Excuse me?” Kurt hissed.

“You put the baby in the car seat in the garage when you have her asleep.” Finn said really slowly, as if Kurt hadn’t understood the first time.

“You can NOT just leave a baby unattended, Finn! Rachel’s garage isn’t even heated.”

“Sure you can. They did it in Harry Potter.”

“Finn…Harry Potter isn’t real. Furthermore, they left that baby on the steps of an abusive household! It was all abusive!”

“Don’t be silly, Kurt.”

Kurt wasn’t sure if he wanted to bash Finn’s head into a wall or Rachel’s or his own. Beth started fussing. Kurt resettled her blanket around her and moved her so her head was pillowed on his shoulder. He glared at Finn.

“Here is how this is going to play out, Finn, unless you want me to call Mr. Berry right now. I will watch Beth, because you and Rachel are complete idiots who should never even have children at any point in time at this rate. Rachel, who I assume is getting paid for this, will give me the pay she receives, doubled. You will find out how much she gets and pay that to me as well. If you don’t I will tell your mom and my dad that a) you made me watch the baby when Rachel was supposed to and b) you planned on leaving her outside by herself until Rachel could be bothered to come get her. When Shelby calls Rachel, Rachel will call me. I will drive to Rachel’s and pick her up and we will take the baby to Shelby. Is that clear?” Kurt said.

“But…”

“I suggest you call Rachel and see if she still insists I watch Beth, or if she wants to follow through on her responsibility.”

Kurt swayed with Beth in his arms as Finn told Rachel Kurt’s conditions. Kurt could hear her screeching from where he and Beth were standing, but they lasted all of five minutes before Rachel agreed.

“Fine, we agree.” Finn said after getting off the phone.

“Where is her baby bag?” Kurt asked.

“What?”

“The bag with her diapers and stuff? Her costume?” Kurt asked.

“Oh, Rachel said the costume was stupid and she put the bag in the garage with the car seat.”

“You left the car seat in Rachel’s garage?” Kurt asked.

“Well, yeah. How else were you going to put her in it?” Finn asked.

“I had hoped that you meant put the car seat in the garage.” Kurt said. “How did you get her here?”

“We drove.”

“You drove with the baby NOT in a car seat?” Kurt used the arm not supporting Beth to rub his eyes.

“Well, yeah.”

“Oh God. Finn…I just can’t even. Just Go!”

“You don’t have to be so bitchy about it.” Finn muttered as he slammed the door shut on his way out.

“Well, Beth. Your sort-of-sister is completely insane and dating an idiot. So, you get me. I’m Kurt. Now, let’s go see what we can do. Do diapers go bad? I think we have some of those from when Robbie’s little boy used to come over with the guys for poker nights. Robbie works for my dad. And there is an old car seat in the shed. It’s a booster and I know they get outdated, but we are desperate. It has to be better than nothing. I hope you at least stayed on the seat while Finn drove, he isn’t very good at driving…or stopping.”

Beth stuck her thumb in her mouth and tilted her head at Kurt.

“Do babies your age even go trick-or-treating?” Kurt asked her. “I guess it can’t hurt. Now, what to do for a costume? Can you drink milk?”

45 minutes later, Beth had been fed a dinner of smashed banana, mashed potatoes, and milk. She was costumed. Kurt was costumed as well and they both had brand new candy bags which had been sewn and were ready to go. 

Kurt had created a pumpkin costume out of an old orange t-shirt (“I promise it was for Glee, but really, only like two people looked good in the orange and Mr. Shue wanted it paired with bright yellow, Beth. It was horrendous. We definitely aren’t doing that color combo again, so you can have the shirt.” “Eww!”) and green ribbons. Kurt tied it closed around Beth’s arms and sort of tied it around her neck (“I am pretty sure I read somewhere that babies and ribbons don’t go together, like a choking hazard or something, but the amount of ribbon on baby clothes I’ve seen is outrageous, so maybe they do, but I don’t want you choking on my watch so we are going to use eyelets and loops for gathering and then use the ribbon mostly for decoration around your neck…Beth, don’t eat the ribbons. Hmm…we are going to have to do something about the ends or you’ll have fuzz in your tummy.”) and cinched it closed under her bum. Before closing the ends of the t-shirt under her bum, Kurt stuffed the t-shirt with left over tulle from various glee projects.

Kurt had decided to match the pumpkin by turning himself into the farmer. He rummaged for a pair of Burt’s old overalls, tied around his waist with rope to keep them up and unfastened one side of straps so the bib hung down on one side. He took the plaid shirt he’d worn when trying to be a “real” boy and wore that under. He messed up his hair (which made it so he didn’t care that Beth seemed to like her hands in it all the time). He took straw from the bales outside that they were going to put over the garden and stuffed it in pockets and he wore his work boots. His were stained with oil and grease and not nasty farm stuff, but stained was stained.

He put together two bags for trick or treating…he made one a backpack that he was certain wouldn’t last more than a couple of hours and the other he made with handles that should hold up for a few years if Beth kept it.

Kurt then picked up the baby and started out.

“Trick-or-Treat” Kurt said as the door opened.

“Bye” said Beth.

Kurt looked at Beth. “Trick or Treat. Bye is what we say when we go. We say thank-you and Bye.”

“Bye.”

“Ok, Fine…I’ll do the trick-or-treat part and you do the bye.” Kurt said.

“Oh, Kurt how adorable! Your stepmother must be so proud of you!” the first neighbor squealed. ‘What do we have here? Farmer Kurt with his pretty little pumpkin. Oh, you two are soo cute. I should get a picture for Carole.”

Kurt hadn’t considered that. Although, realistically, Carole would be much more likely to care for someone’s baby than any of the rest of them, so perhaps he ought to have thought of that.

“It’s Ok, Mrs. Jorgens. I’ve already taken some.” Kurt replied. Mrs. Jorgens reached over and ruffled Beth’s curls and then patted Kurt’s cheek. Kurt smiled and waved and Beth said goodbye.

The situation repeated itself at the next five doors. Kurt was nearly ready to just go home, he hated being touched. Still, Beth loved all the people cooing at her and so Kurt and Beth continued trick-or-treating.

Kurt and Beth went through Kurt’s neighborhood and then to some of the older, more wealthy homes that were a bit farther away.

By about fifteen minutes in they had a good pattern down. Kurt would ring the bell or knock and when the door opened he would say “Trick” and Beth would say “Twee”. They usually were handed several pieces of candy, Beth would clap and pose with her hand on her cheek looking very cute and Kurt would say “Thank” and Beth would finish with “ooo. Bye”. Kurt tried to pick what he hoped were more baby friendly candies at each house for Beth, and he always choose non candy options like glow sticks if they had those. The first he broke and tied to Beth’s bag, so they had a bit more light as it got darker. Beth loved it and would kick at it to make it swing. After about an hour and half, Beth was getting too heavy and their candy bags weren’t helping matters. Kurt took Beth home and sorted through her candies, removing anything hard or not very baby friendly. He replaced things he removed with a few small packs of Skittles and M&Ms from the stash they were giving out at their house.

Kurt dug out his Disney’s Halloween sing along tape and a few other more kid friendly movies and they watched movies. He changed out of his overalls and into the cape he’d planned on wearing to answer the door to trick-or-treaters in the first place. Beth fussed a bit and Kurt fixed her costume up a bit so it was less bulky and more comfortable for just wearing, but he didn’t take her out of it. They snacked on graham crackers. Kurt changed her when she started to fuss, the diapers they had on hand much too big for the girl, but better than nothing as the poor thing was soaked. Kurt was astounded that so much wet could come from such a small girl. He poured some milk in a cup and helped Beth sip at it while they watched more of the shows. He put the candy bowl out on the porch for a bit, checking every once in a while to make sure kids were being reasonable when Beth started rubbing her eyes. He sat watching cartoons, holding her on his lap, even after Beth fell asleep.

Rachel called a bit before 10.

Kurt placed his old booster car seat, which he figured was probably nearer to up to code than his baby seat was, in his SUV and strapped Beth into it. Then he drove to Rachel’s.

Rachel was waiting outside when they got there.

“I don’t see why you are being so mean about this Kurt!” She immediately started yelling at him.

“Shut it, Rachel. Beth is asleep. Go get her bag and her car seat, so we can get her in the proper car seat to take her home.” Kurt said.

Rachel stalked off to the garage and pulled out a car seat and baby bag, throwing them at Kurt. Kurt just rolled his eyes.

“I am not going to shut it. You are so mean and I cannot believe you told Finn I was not being responsible and should never have kids. I am responsible and I should be able to have kids. I should be able to have lots of kids. I should be able to have them right now if I wanted. I am wonderful with kids. I am perfect with kids. Kids worship me. They love me, Kurt, they love me. Finn is wonderful with kids too, and they love him too. They love us much more than they love you. You are the one….” Rachel ranted, her arms waving about like some sort of strange windmill.

Kurt opened the side door on the opposite side of where he had Beth buckled in. He looked at the sticker with the installation instructions on the side of the car seat and strapped the car seat into his SUV. He carefully removed Beth from the booster seat and strapped her into her car seat. He looked through the baby bag and read the note Shelby had left about feeding Beth and was very happy to read that she drank regular milk. Kurt removed the booster seat and stuck it in the back of the SUV before returning to the driver seat. He rolled his eyes as he was still waiting for Rachel to climb into the passenger seat…she was still ranting.

“Stop.” Kurt said. “Get in the car.”

Rachel glared and got in the vehicle, slamming the door behind her. She opened her mouth to start fussing again, but Kurt cut her off.

“I am not joking Rachel. Your dads are less than fifteen steps away and I will go tell them about what you did tonight and what you wanted done.”

“But Kurt, you just don’t understand how IMPORTANT it was that I was there to perform when my father’s guests wanted me to sing…or between movies. It was vital to my whole career and existence! To my whole being, Kurt, my whole being!”

“Rachel, you wanted a child to be left alone in your garage! You cannot just go about leaving babies somewhere out of the way because you committed to a responsibility that you then decided you couldn’t be bothered to follow through with.” Kurt hissed back. “Keep your voice down so you don’t wake the baby.”

“They did it in Harry Potter.” Rachel said.

“Rachel, you are aware that Harry Potter is not real right?”

“But…”

“Rachel, there are no buts here.” Kurt said. “You will not be offering your services to Shelby again. If I find out you have…and I will find out…I will tell her and your fathers about this evening. I will tell them about your plan to leave the little girl in back in a garage all alone while you pranced around inside your house to provide live entertainment at your dads’ party…which you could have easily done while keeping your word and being responsible for one small child for a few hours. Finn could have watched her long enough inside for you to sing, and you could have easily watched her while you weren’t singing.”

“But Kurt, she might have taken the attention away from me.” Rachel said.

“As she should have. Do you know why? Because Beth is not even two and needs others to provide for her needs and you are a senior in high school and ought to be old enough to manage without your whims being catered to for a few hours…particularly since it would have been EASY to both cater to your whims and provide for Beth’s needs at the same time if you weren’t such a self-centered child.”

“I am not self-centered Kurt. I offered to babysit didn’t I?”

“You might have offered but you certainly didn’t follow through.”

“And it wasn’t a whim, Kurt.”

“Rachel, could you have in any manner DIED if you didn’t perform between your dads’ movies tonight?”

Rachel glared.

“Leaving a baby alone in a garage COULD lead to DEATH, Rachel. In many conceivable ways. Let alone the more likely scenario of fear and illness.”

“Well, I’m still not paying you.” Rachel said.

“I will turn this car around.” Kurt said.

Rachel growled and pouted.

“You might want to paste a happy smile on your face, because we are here.” Kurt said. “Beth ate Bananas and potatoes and drank milk for dinner and had milk after trick-or-treating. Her candy now mostly consists of small things like M&Ms and Skittles, a few candy bars like peanut butter cups and other softer ones and some lollypops…which I left in but need parental guidance while eaten. She also got a bunch of glow sticks and some pencils and things like that that Shelby might like to have. She had milk after trick-or-treating and watched Disney Sing-alongs and Scooby-Doo.”

Rachel just looked at Kurt.

Kurt looked back.

“What? You expect me to carry her up to the apartment? By myself? I can’t lift her and her car seat and her bag, Kurt.”

“Rachel, she is still in a car seat that can be carried with her in it…you lift the car seat with the baby in it and the bag…two things.”

“That’s too heavy. I can’t do that.”

“Fine.” Kurt said.

Kurt wasn’t surprised when he ended up holding the baby bag, Beth’s candy bag, and the car seat with Beth in it as Rachel led him to the door of Shelby’s apartment. Beth wasn’t asleep anymore, Kurt figured there was too much movement, or possible Rachel woke her with her chatter on why she could hold neither the bag nor the car seat.

“And I just managed to not have lingering soreness from the bruised elbow, Kurt. You cannot even imagine how painful it was and I know that Finn didn’t mean to trip me and have me fall into the lockers. I know it wasn’t even that hard and still my elbow BRUISED Kurt. You couldn’t see it at all, but it was there I tell you. I wanted my dad to take me in but he looked and said he only would if it bruised up and showed or if I couldn’t use my arm in some way. I should have forced the issue, I know Dr. Fenway would have issued me a sling and I could have been excused from writing for a while but no. It was so unfair…you can’t even believe how…”

Kurt knocked on the door number he’d pried out of Rachel before she started her rant. Shelby opened the door. Beth clapped.

“Twee.” Beth said, then put her hand on her cheek and looked really cute. 

Kurt smiled. Rachel just stood there looking at Beth as if she was odd.

Shelby smiled. “That’s new. Come in and bring Beth in. She’ll be happy to get out of the car seat, she’s almost too big for it but I haven’t had a chance to upgrade yet.”

Kurt put the car seat down and then went and placed the bags on the counter. When neither woman had moved to take Beth out of the car seat, Kurt kneeled down and unbuckled Beth, lifting her out of the car seat and setting her free.

“There you go, sweetie.” Kurt said. “Go see your mama. I bet she missed you.”

“Mum mum mum mum mum” Beth said as she waddled to Shelby.

Shelby lifted her up. “Did you have a good time?” She asked.

“Eee Na. Dee Miw.”

“You ate Banana and drank milk?”

Beth nodded.

“And what are you dressed as?” Shelby asked.

“Puki”

“A pumpkin?”

Beth nodded again.

“Twee. Ooooo, bye.” Beth said, then waved.

Shelby laughed. “I’m glad you were nice and polite.”

Beth pointed to her candy bag.” Num Num Num.”

“You have treats, huh?”

More nodding.

“Rachel, sounds like she had a nice time. Thank you.” Shelby said, reaching into her pocket and handing Rachel a wad of cash.

“It was my pleasure, Shelby.” Rachel said. “We’d better be going.”

Kurt waved and Beth waved back as Rachel dragged him out of the apartment.

Rachel dragged him to the SUV.

Kurt and Rachel got into the vehicle.

“That baby’s going to blow the whole thing!” Rachel yelled. “You didn’t say she could talk, Kurt.”

“She wasn’t that much a conversationalist while I was watching her, Rachel.” Kurt said, holding his hand out.

Rachel just looked at him.

“Rachel, we are still here. I will go right up there, right now. Hand it over and don’t forget to get me the rest of it by Monday. Don’t worry, Finn will be handing his share over as well.”

“You are such a jerk. I earned that money fair and square.” Rachel said, handing over the wad of cash. Kurt counted it and smiled.

“Shelby paid nice. 70 bucks.”

“I had her some of the time.” Rachel whined.

“How long was Beth at your house before Finn brought her to me?” Kurt said.

Rachel kicked Kurt’s door.

“That’s what I thought.”

Rachel was silent the rest of the way back to her house. Kurt dropped her off and smiled.

“Monday, Rachel. Tell Finn I’ll see him later. I wonder if Blaine is at the house yet.”

Blaine was indeed back from his Warbler party, or at least taking a break from it, and waiting for Kurt.

“Where have you been, I’ve been here ten minutes and we won’t have any trick-or-treat time unless you get ready now.” Blaine said.

Kurt rolled his eyes and got into the costume he and Blaine had agreed on within five minutes. Kurt drove them towards the housing area Quinn lived in and he and Blaine got a half hour of trick-or-treating in before it got too late, joining up with a group of kids ranging from teens to small children. It was a fair haul for such a short time.

“We could have got more candy if we’d just gone around your neighborhood, though.” Blaine complained as they drove back to Kurt’s house.

“My neighborhood gives out bite sized candy bars and lollypops,” Kurt said. “Not king sized candy bars, sodas, goodie bags full of candy and large toy items like stuffed animals, rubber ducks, funny hats and bouncy balls.”

Blaine shrugged. ”I do like the _Cat in the Hat_ hats. Driving here and there though is sorely cutting into our time. I have to go in ten minutes.”

Kurt sighed. He knew Blaine was headed back to the warbler party; Jeff had been talking about it going on all night with a haunted house and movies not even starting till after midnight.

“That’s too bad.” Kurt said.

They pulled up to the house and managed to watch an episode of some ghost hunter show before Blaine left and Kurt went and changed again. He pulled out his bag of candy from taking Beth around and settled in front of the TV to watch some old movies his mom had when he was little…illegally taped from the Disney channel. 

He was happily engrossed in _Something Wicked This Way Comes_ when his dad and Carole got home.

“Finn home yet?” Burt asked.

“Nope.” Kurt said.

“He was supposed to be home by midnight.” Burt grumbled.

“Ground him.” Kurt said.

“Kurt…”

“What?”

“Just because you didn’t get invited to anything, doesn’t mean you have to be mean to Finn and Rachel.” Burt said. “Finn called Carole and said you’d been harassing them because you didn’t have anything better to do.”

Kurt tossed his phone to his dad. “I did not. Check it.”

“Kurt…”

“I told you in the summer I’m not playing this game anymore. If Finn upsets his girlfriend, or his girlfriend is just upset for some reason, I’m not getting in trouble for it. I’m done with that. Finn has to prove his allegations. If he said I did something, he has to prove it. I’m done being tattled on to keep him out of trouble or to get him out of trouble. Check the phone.”

“Kurt…”

“Besides…I went trick-or-treating with Blaine. He came by for a bit and we headed out. So just because I wasn’t invited anywhere didn’t mean I just sat here doing nothing. And it’s past midnight…I am where I am supposed to be.”

Burt just turned and went to the kitchen. He placed Kurt’s phone on the counter. Kurt noticed he didn’t look at it. His dad and Carole came over and finished the movie with him, turning on _Adam’s Family_ after that.

Finn didn’t come in until nearly 1:30 am. 

Kurt smiled and Finn shuddered.

“Why are you still up?” Finn asked. “You were supposed to go to bed after Kurt got…”

“Yes Finn?” Burt asked.

“After Kurt got home.” Finn said. “After he got home.”

“Kurt was already home when we got in…at just past midnight.” Carole said. “Do you remember when you were supposed to be home?”

“Umm….no one told me?” Finn said.

“Not only did I tell you, Finn, it was written on the note…which I know you read because you took the apple cider to Rachel’s house like the note told you to.”

“But Rachel’s dads’ party wasn’t over…” Finn said.

“Rachel’s dads’ party is still not over,” Burt said. “They have always thrown an all-night extravaganza and this year is no different. Yet you are home now…and you are grounded. No going to Rachel’s for two weeks, no Rachel coming over for two weeks, and no dates for two weeks.”

“That’s not fair.”

“Oh, and Finn, Kurt says he didn’t call and harass you and Rachel because he didn’t get invited anywhere. He’d offered up his phone as proof.” Carole said. “Would you like to let me see your phone?”

“No, mom.” Finn said.

“Remember what we talked about this summer?” Carole said.

“Mom…that’s not fair. He did harass us.”

“Finn, you headed out to Rachel’s at noon, and Dad and Carole left at 5pm, which is a whole half hour after Rachel’s dads’ party started. They didn’t see you, so when did I harass you? I mean if you really think I did, you could tell your mom all about it and how and where it happened and make sure to include a why.” Kurt said.

“Kurt…” Burt said.

“I did not harass Finn or Rachel. I definitely did not call either of them. And although I was not happy about my lack of invites, in no way am I sorry that I didn’t get invited anywhere and certainly not sorry enough about it to throw any sort of fit. I actually had a lovely evening…and like I said, I did get to go out trick-or-treating with Blaine, even if he did head back to the Warbler party and not home even though that is where he said he had to go. Anything else? If there is you’ll have to talk to Finn. I’m not allowed to talk about it.” Kurt said. “Does anyone want to watch anything else? If not, I’m heading to my room. Dad, bring up my phone when you are done with it.”

He waited a few minutes before heading up, making a point not to grab his phone on the way.

Burt brought Kurt’s phone up less than fifteen minutes later. Kurt didn’t even ask if they’d looked.

The next afternoon Kurt cornered Finn and reminded him that he owed Kurt babysitting money and Kurt gave Finn until Nov. 15th to come up with it. Kurt then gathered the baking pumpkins from the front porch and started them baking. He had plans for freezing much of the pumpkin. He plugged his earbuds into his ears and set his music loud enough to ignore everyone around him. He figured if it was important they’d get through to him.

Half way through making his first batch of pumpkin cookies, and the baking of the fourth pumpkin, Kurt noticed Carole on the phone, looking at him oddly. He pulled out his ear buds as Carole handed him the phone.

“Mrs. Harris from down at the corner house would like to talk to you.” Carole said.

Kurt shrugged and took the phone.

“Mrs. Harris, how are you today?” Kurt asked.

By the end of the call, Kurt had agreed to watch Mrs. Harris’s three youngest grandchildren while the rest of her family went to a wedding Wednesday evening. The whole call Carole looked at Kurt as if he were some sort of new life form. Kurt smiled and handed the phone back to Carole when after he said goodbye.

“Mrs. Harris told me that I should be awfully proud about how you took care of that sweet baby girl for me and how cute you two were together when you went trick-or-treating. Kurt, what baby girl?” Carole asked.

“Sorry, I can’t talk about it. Ask Finn.” Kurt said.

“Finn?”

Kurt nodded.

“My Finn? What was Finn doing with a baby?”

“Can’t talk about it. It was part of the agreement. I’ve got to go see if I can find things toddlers from about a year and half to two and half would like...they all like Disney stuff so I should be good. Oh, and I have to get my work hours moved from Wednesday to Sunday. Don’t you think Wednesday is an insane day for a wedding?”

Kurt bounded up the stairs as he heard Carole call for Finn. 

Monday morning both Finn and Rachel handed Kurt the money from Kurt’s deal and both looked very contrite.

“Mom said to tell you she is glad you let her and Burt have their date and that even though your emersion wasn’t the best way to deal with things, it might have been needed in this case.” Finn said.

“Extortion, Finn.” Rachel said. “And she made me promise not to offer up my childcare services anytime soon, as well. It is so not fair. I am a great babysitter! I did great with Beth.”

“You made me take her straight to Kurt.” Finn said.

Kurt rolled his eyes.

At lunch, Shelby cornered him.

“You babysat Beth, didn’t you?” She demanded.

Kurt nodded; he wasn’t going to lie to the baby’s mom. “How did you know?”

Shelby smiled. “Because she keeps singing something about pumpkins and then shouting Kur…which I finally figured out meant Kurt. And then getting upset that we don’t have whatever she wants.”

“We watched the Disney Halloween sing a-long. It has the ‘Five Little Pumpkin’ song on it. We watched it over and over a few times since she seemed to like it a lot.” Kurt said.

“God I hope I can find that on DVD.” Shelby said. “I hope you got the payment.”

Kurt smiled. “Yes…and made Rachel pay me the same amount as well…and Finn. Apparently my stepmother referred to the deal as extortion.”

‘Oh, I like you.” Shelby said. “I would never have guessed. You usually seem so wholesome. So, do you babysit?”

Kurt shrugged. “I have before. My dad often had employees who had children younger than I was and if they needed someone in an emergency Dad offered me. It isn’t something I’d want to do every day afterschool, but I don’t mind it occasionally.”

“So, like once or twice a month? Or like an hour during a weekend so a mom could go grocery shopping without a tot with grabby hands?”

“Either. Even if it was once a week so a mom could date.”

“You might have yourself a job. I probably won’t pay you 70 bucks each time though.”

Kurt laughed. “I thought you were nuts paying Rachel that on Halloween. You have one kid. I charge 5 bucks per kid per hour. Unless the kid is horrid and I need hazard pay. Your kid isn’t.”

“I’ll call your dad at his shop and get your number.”

Kurt nodded and waved as Shelby left.

A few hours of about the mildest of inconvenience on Halloween and he had quick cash job offers, enough money to buy the boots he’d been eyeing, got to go trick-or-treating way past the acceptable age, got to dress up more than one person and more than one time, and got to make fun of Rachel and Finn. Not bad.


End file.
